| Implants can repair nerves cut back |
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 A new type of implant offers hope for spinal cord injuries. Karolinska Hospital is the world's first clinical trial in 18 paraplegic patients. Traffic accidents diving in shallow water or falling from great heights, each year around 120 people in Sweden to spinal cord injuries leading to paralysis, there is currently no method to repair the damage. It may hopefully about to change with a new treatment, developed by Swedish researchers. An implant, filled with a drug, shall be severed nerves to grow over the crime and recover its function. - This is a whole new way to treat spinal cord injuries, which cause great personal distress and significantly reduced quality of life, "says Par Gellerfors, president of the Swedish company Bioartic Neuroscience. The company is a spider in the web of the consortium, together with the Karolinska Hospital developed the new method of treatment. - The results when we tested the method in rats are very promising. Now planning the first clinical trials 18 patients, all paraplegic after a rupture in the spinal canal to be included in the study, it is hoped that the implant will improve their life situation. - It's easy to believe that the goal is primarily to be able to walk again, but talks with spinal cord injuries, it is not the motor problems that are the worst. It's about other things like pain and incontinence. The operation is the damaged portion of the spinal cord removed and replaced by a centimeter wide implant with twelve channels. In just 14 days grow new nerve fibers through the channels to the other side. Thus restored nerve function, the implant is then broken down by the body - leaving only the confluent nerve fibers. In the long term treatment approach be appropriate for people with an older injury. - It's part of our plan. But first we have a breakthrough with nyskadade, says Par Gellerfors. How long will it take before you can get a treatment for people paralyzed for spinal cord injuries? - It is extremely difficult to assess, it is crucial is how the clinical trial yesterday. Is it good, it can take four to five years? Bioartic is the only company in the world to come as far as clinical trials of a treatment for total offense in the spinal canal. In the U.S., ongoing clinical studies with stem cells for repairing partial injuries of the spinal cord. The experiments led by biotech company Geron. |
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